"Orange Is the New Black’s" Young Daya Is Played by Dascha Polanco’s Daughter

It all makes sense now.

If you've been watching Orange Is the New Black this season, you probably noticed something pretty remarkable about episode eight, the one with flashbacks of Daya and Aleida. In the episode, young Daya looks almost exactly like her present-day self, who is played by actress Dascha Polanco. Thanks to some sleuthing, the internet has finally made sense of why the two actresses seem so uncannily similar, and honestly, it's such an ingenious casting choice.

Through the episode's flashbacks, viewers get to see a 14-year-old Daya. Turns out she's played by none other than Dascha's own daughter, Dasany Kristal Gonzalez. The young actress only has one credit on IMBD, her appearance on Orange Is the New Black. It's unclear whether or not she's pursuing acting other than playing a young version of her mom's character, but it's obviously a great start.

And if your mind is blown by this news, you're not the only one. Other OITNB fans had similar reactions to finding this out.